This stunning Gluten Free Babka is a soft bread filled with endless swirls of chocolate filling and topped with a silky chocolate glaze. It's a yeasted chocolate coffee cake on steroids!
Gluten Free Babka was originally posted on May 10, 2019 and has been updated with a new filling recipe, a glaze, new pictures, and a full-length step-by-step video.
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Are there any Seinfeld fans out there? What am I saying? Of course there are! I used to LOVE Seinfeld and if you know anything about the show, you'll know about the babka episode. Seinfeld made the babka famous and I can't thank them enough because without Seinfeld, I would have never heard of this gloriously rich and decadent cake/bread hybrid.
What Is Babka?
Babka is a traditional Jewish pastry that's kind of a cross between a cake and a bread. It's dense and rich and can be made into many different flavors, but, as Seinfeld taught us, chocolate and cinnamon seem to be the top two (with cinnamon taking a back seat to NO babka!). Babka has layers of sweet bread contrasting with sticky chocolate filling (or cinnamon in the case of a cinnamon babka--my next babka project). You'll find it in many Jewish bakeries, especially in New York City. It's traditionally served with either a sugar syrup poured over it or a streusel on top, but I chose the chocolate glaze from this wonderful cookbook, A Good Bake. Aside from the dough (which is my very own gf sweet dough), I recreated Melissa's recipe as best I could and it's every bit as good as the pictures look!
here's what you'll need for gluten free Chocolate babka
Dough and Filling Ingredients
- Gluten Free Sweet Dough - this is my go-to dough for all things using a sweet dough. It's the same dough that's used to make my 5-star gluten free cinnamon rolls, as well as MANY more tasty gluten free recipes.
- Chocolate cookie crumbs - below you'll find a recipe for the chocolate cookies that make these cookie crumbs. However, you can take an easier way and use any gluten free chocolate cookie you can purchase, such as gluten fee Oreo's (without the filling).
- Milk and semi-sweet chocolate - use a good quality milk chocolate (NOT chocolate chips). I use Callebaut callets, but any good quality store-bought chocolate will also work.
Glaze Ingredients
- Milk and semi-sweet chocolates - I love the flavor of the combined chocolates.
- Butter - butter makes the glaze silky smooth.
- Honey - honey adds a slight sweetness, but also makes it shiny.
Cookie Dough Ingredients
- Kim's gluten free all purpose flour blend - a store bought blend may work, but has not been tested.
- Unsweetened cocoa - regular 'ole Hershey's style cocoa powder is fine. No need for dark Dutch processed stuff.
- Baking soda - a tiny bit of baking soda gives these cookies a bit of a rise.
How Do I Make Babka?
- Make cookies (or use store bought gluten free chocolate cookies).
- Crush cookies into crumbs and add to melted chocolates and honey for filling.
- Let filling cool until thickened and easy to spread.
- Make gluten free sweet dough according to recipe instructions (through refrigerating overnight).
- Divide dough into two and, working with one loaf at a time, roll dough out into the size of a half sheet pan. Spread with half of the filling.
- Roll up dough as you would a jelly roll and pinch the seam to seal.
- Cut roll of filled dough in half and cross one over the other and slightly twist the ends.
- Place twisted babka dough into parchment-lined loaf pan; cover and let rise.
- When dough has doubled in size, bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes.
- Mix glaze ingredients together in small bowl and microwave at 30-second intervals; stir to melt completely.
- Place baked and cooled babka on serving platter.
- Spoon chocolate glaze over top of babka, letting it drip down the sides onto the serving trap. Allow glaze to set for 30 minutes before slicing.
Chocolate Babka FAQs
Yes, you can! You will need to halve the filling and glaze ingredients as well.
Glaze will set so that you can wrap the entire babka in plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 2-3 days. To store longer, you may wrap the entire loaf or slices in a layer of plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
You can microwave slices on a plate for 10-15 seconds. The glaze will melt slightly. I would not recommend toasting slices unless they were unglazed.
more gluten free sweet bread recipes
- Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- Gluten Free King Cake Recipe
- The Ultimate Overnight Gluten Free Monkey Bread
- Gluten Free Panettone
- Gluten Free German Stollen
- Gluten Free Panettone Babka
- Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Wreath
Gluten Free Babka
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 recipe ultimate gluten free cinnamon roll dough (made through refrigeration step)
Filling
- 7-8 (140g) chocolate shortbread cookies, recipe below (a store bought gluten free chocolate cookie may be substituted)
- 6 oz (170g) milk chocolate
- 2.5 oz (71g) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
- 9 tbsp (127g) butter (a dairy-free butter may be substituted)
- ⅓ cup (105g) honey
Glaze
- 4 oz (113g) milk chocolate
- 4 oz (113g) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
- 8 tbsp (113g) butter (a dairy-free butter may be substituted)
- 1 tbsp (20g) honey
Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoon (158g) Kim's gluten free all purpose flour blend
- ⅔ cup (57g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 12 tbsp (170g) butter, softened (a dairy-free butter may be substituted)
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
Instructions
Make Dough
- Make gluten free cinnamon roll dough as per recipe instructions (including proofing and chilling overnight).
Make Cookies
- Put the flour blend, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine; set aside. Cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until dough comes together (you may need to knead it on a lightly-floured surface to bring it together).
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Roll out dough onto a lightly-floured surface to ⅛-¼ inch thickness. It doesn't need to be perfect. Cut into squares using a pastry wheel or knife. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until tops look dry and they are fragrant. Cool completely. Use a small food processor or a ziploc bag and rolling pin to make enough crumbs for this recipe (the rest of the cookies can be eaten whole).
Make Filling
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add both chocolates and butter. Microwave at 30-second intervals until chocolate is almost melted. Stir to finish melting chocolate and add in honey and cookie crumbs; stir and set aside. Filling will become thicker upon cooling.
Shape and Bake Babka
- Prepare two 8 by 4½-inch loaf pans with nonstick baking spray or parchment; set aside.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and knead on well-floured surface. Divide dough into two equal portions. Keep one portion covered while rolling out other portion.
- Roll dough out to about the size of a half sheet pan (13 by 18 inches), adding flour underneath and on top to avoid sticking.
- Fold dough over itself and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet that's been sprayed with nonstick spray. Unfold dough onto parchment, stretching to fit the length of the pan. Cover and freeze for 10 minutes. Repeat with the second half of dough.
- Working with one sheet of dough at a time, quickly spread filling onto entire surface of dough, except for ½ inch at the farthest shortest side. Roll up dough tightly as you would a jelly or cinnamon roll. Pinch seam to seal. Repeat with second sheet of dough.
- Gently press and roll on dough to very slightly lengthen it and then cut it in half width wise into two equally-sized shorter rolls. Cross the rolls over each other and twist gently. Repeat with the other roll of dough.
- Carefully place twisted rolls into prepared loaf pans, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise until almost doubled in size, 1-2 hours. The rising time will depend on the ambient temperature in your kitchen. You can speed this along slightly by placing your loaves in a turned off oven with a shallow bowl of very hot water alongside them.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. When loaves are risen, remove plastic wrap and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until they spring back when very gently touched; cool in pans for 15 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
Make Glaze
- Combine chocolates with butter and honey in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 30-second intervals until almost melted. Stir to finish melting. Pour or spoon over baked babkas. Serve at room temperature or slightly warmed.
Notes
- To keep babka moist and fresh, wrap entire babka in plastic wrap. I suggest thick slices for serving. You can pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to reheat slightly.
- To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil and place in freezer. Will keep in freezer for about 3 months.
- This recipe may be halved to make only one babka. Use half the recipe of gluten free sweet dough, filling, and glaze.
- If you make the chocolate shortbread, you will have more than you need for this recipe. They are so good on their own, or serve them with coffee or tea.
Adapted from Melissa Weller's A Good Bake
Marcy says
This looks amazing! And I already have enough sweet dough in the freezer for a loaf! I see the ingredients for the cookies, but not the directions— it just says to make the cookies. What are the directions?
Kim says
Oh no! I don't know why you don't see it. Can you please check again and let me know if you see it now?
Marcy says
Hi! I must have spaced out, because when I went back, the directions were there! I have my babka in the oven now, and it smells incredible! I’m having to bake it a lot longer, though for some reason. My freezer is super cold, so maybe the freezing step was a factor. I remembered that your cinnamon raisin bread takes an hour or more to bake and looks like it uses the same dough as the babka. The babka was only 119 degrees after 30 minutes, 134 after 10 more minutes, and 180 after an additional 10 minutes, so I’m guessing it will get to the desired 195-200 range after baking for an hour total. Anyhow, any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
Natasha says
I made this with Bob's Red Mill 1:1 flour, soy milk, non-dairy butter and Bob's egg replacer. While working with the dough I thought it would be a complete failure because it was difficult to work with (understandably, given that I swapped 1/2 the ingredients), but it came out beautifully! It truly can be compared to a non-GF babka, which I bake very often.
Thanks for the recipe!
Lauren j says
Hi do u have any idea what I could do the dough turned out complete liquid I did everything in the recipe
Kim says
It shouldn't be liquidy at all. It will start out a little loose, but after it goes in the fridge overnight it will transform. Did you use my flour blend or substitute anything within the flour blend?
Leah says
I’ve made this a few times and it’s delicious. Each time though I either under bake it or over bake. I’m wondering if you have an internal temperature for this? Thanks!
Kim says
I would go to about 195-200. I think the usual for gluten-filled bread is around 190, but ours needs to go higher because of the extra water content in the dough.
Stephanie Bachman says
I followed the bread part of this recipe to the letter, except using Cup4Cup gluten free flour and it was absolutely perfect. The directions were thorough and easy to follow and the dough really did look like frosting! I used another blogger's chocolate filling recipe since I was following that gluten-full recipe for my family but that was the easy part. Regardless, the result was the babka of my dreams. Thank you thank you thank you! Next up: king cake!
Kim says
Awesome, Stephanie!! So glad it worked for you with the other flour blend 🙂